Displaying items by tag: emergingleadersThe Will Steger Foundation seeks to inspire and be a catalyst for international environmental leadership to stop climate change through exploration, education and action.http://www.willstegerfoundation.org
Tue, 31 Mar 2015 20:43:40 +0000Joomla! 1.5 - Open Source Content Managementen-gbYEA!MN Learns and Leads at Outfront’s 2015 Youth Summithttp://www.willstegerfoundation.org/component/k2/item/2107-yeamn-learns-and-leads-at-outfront’s-2015-youth-summit
http://www.willstegerfoundation.org/component/k2/item/2107-yeamn-learns-and-leads-at-outfront’s-2015-youth-summit"Welcome Leaders!" was the first sentence I read as I was handed a program at Outfront Minnesota's 2015 annual Youth Summit last Monday. It was 8:30am and the Wellstone Center was already full of motivated and friendly high school students decked out in purple t-shirts conversing with each other. In 15 minutes we'd be scattered across the building hosting and attending trainings on justice and equity in our communities. I was anxious to present a…

Addie teaching recruitment skills

"Welcome Leaders!" was the first sentence I read as I was handed a program at Outfront Minnesota's 2015 annual Youth Summit last Monday. It was 8:30am and the Wellstone Center was already full of motivated and friendly high school students decked out in purple t-shirts conversing with each other. In 15 minutes we'd be scattered across the building hosting and attending trainings on justice and equity in our communities. I was anxious to present a session on effective school clubs to my peers, but the program's reminder that youth are leaders and my composed co-presenters from YEA!MN boosted my confidence.

The day proved to be just as inspiring and engaging as I expected. Students my age from all over the state hosted a dozen interesting workshops, such as "GSA's: How to Make Yours Effective, Inclusive, & Fun!", "Art in Action" and "Putting the Sexy in Sex Ed." I headed over to "Black Lives Matter: Revolutionary Youth" first and found the room almost full. We took time to address stereotypes adults label young people as, like "inexperienced" or "lazy," then debunked them through historic narratives and personal stories. I learned about youth that mobilized against racism through the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee during the 1960s and my peers' current campaigns. It was powerful to remind ourselves of the resiliency of activists, past and present, and how we can emulate those strengths in our work. Later, I had the opportunity to attend "Trans Youth Speak Out," a panel session led by two transgender student leaders. The energy in the room deepened my commitment to listen and find ways to become a better ally to transgender people. Overall, my general disappointment of the summit was that I couldn't take part in all of workshops!

The three of us from YEA!MN led a session entitled, "Building Youth Power in Your School." Our training was designed around recruitment and leadership building- two aspects we personally encountered within student groups that we felt were challenging yet important. We taught about the difference between passive recruitment and active recruitment, went deeper into how to have one-on-one recruitment conversations and how to develop leaders using the leadership ladder. I had never presented a workshop before, but I was relieved. Previously practicing my segment ended up being more awkward than the actual training! It felt awesome to be a source of help for students at other schools using experience from YEA!MN. We ended up dedicating some of our time to collectively give advice to individual clubs that attended, such as the GSA from the School for Environmental Studies' campaign for gender-neutral bathrooms.

The connections I made with student activists across Minnesota was the most important takeaway I got from the 2015 Youth Summit. I learned from passionate peers about social issues that affect us as students as well as strategies to solve them. I'm thankful for Outfront for giving us the opportunity to present a workshop through YEA!MN in a LGBTQA-centered space- demonstrating the importance of intersectionality in the movement for justice and equity. I will be back next year!

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]]>addie.welch@willstegerfoundation.org (Addie Welch, Junior at Minneapolis South High School)Youth Action (Guest Bloggers)Wed, 11 Mar 2015 16:50:51 +0000Dirty Air Affects All of Ushttp://www.willstegerfoundation.org/component/k2/item/2102-dirty-air-affects-all-of-us
http://www.willstegerfoundation.org/component/k2/item/2102-dirty-air-affects-all-of-us I’ve always pictured extreme air pollution as something that only happens in China, where coal power plants, manufacturing, and insane car traffic create suffocating smog. Not until I was diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma in 2013 did I consider the role of air pollution and air quality in my personal health. Inhalers help me manage my asthma, but I still occasionally struggle with shortness of breath. When I learned that my representative to Congress, Keith Ellison,…

I’ve always pictured extreme air pollution as something that only happens in China, where coal power plants, manufacturing, and insane car traffic create suffocating smog. Not until I was diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma in 2013 did I consider the role of air pollution and air quality in my personal health. Inhalers help me manage my asthma, but I still occasionally struggle with shortness of breath.

When I learned that my representative to Congress, Keith Ellison, would be hosting a forum on air pollution and asthma, I knew I wanted to attend to learn more about how I can personally campaign for cleaner air. The forum, held last Tuesday, February 17th, at Shiloh Temple in North Minneapolis, was well attended by people from all over the city. Four of us YEA! MN-ers from South High also participated in a meeting with Congressman Ellison beforehand. He was interested in our environmental initiatives and it was encouraging to know that he supports our efforts. We talked about the HERC incinerator and his plans to push against renewing its contract in 2018. Last year we collected several hundred student signatures of petitions against expanding HERC, and it was cool to understand Ellison’s reasoning against HERC.

The forum itself was fascinating. Panelists included an organizer for the Sierra Club, a commissioner at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, a representative of the Minneapolis Health Department, the president of the Minnesota Black Nurses Association, and the director of a nonprofit focusing on clean air. They all had different perspectives on the same public health threat. It was nice to hear about the ways the City of Minneapolis works to reduce childhood asthma cases by reducing indoor air pollution, as well as to learn that Minneapolis has installed filters on school bus tailpipes to reduce pollution. We also learned about the US Environmental Protection Agency’s current bill to lower the acceptable level of ground-level ozone to a safer standard.

I liked the format of the forum. There was a time to learn about the current asthma and air quality initiatives being run by both the government and non-profits, and then time to hear the questions and concerns of audience members. It was an informative and entertaining evening, and I feel that I can better campaign for more stringent air quality standards and work to reduce the incidences of childhood asthma. I am planning on studying environmental health in college, and this was a great introduction to one current environmental health concern in my city.

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]]>beccakrasky@willstegerfoundation.org (Becca Krasky, Senior, South High School and Green Tigers Co-Chair)Youth Action (Guest Bloggers)Mon, 23 Feb 2015 23:18:35 +0000Students meet with Senators Clausen and Carlsonhttp://www.willstegerfoundation.org/component/k2/item/2094-students-meet-with-senators-clausen-and-carlson
http://www.willstegerfoundation.org/component/k2/item/2094-students-meet-with-senators-clausen-and-carlsonLobby Day this year at the capitol was an all around amazing experience. I came on the bus from my school, the School of Environmental Studies (SES), with some other high school classes. When we got to our meeting location near the capitol we were met with many amazing adults and students, around 400 people were there that day. In preparing to talk with our lawmakers and meeting with other concerned students it was amazing…

Madeline, second from left and other SES students at Lobby DayStudents talking with Senator Carlson

Lobby Day this year at the capitol was an all around amazing experience. I came on the bus from my school, the School of Environmental Studies (SES), with some other high school classes. When we got to our meeting location near the capitol we were met with many amazing adults and students, around 400 people were there that day. In preparing to talk with our lawmakers and meeting with other concerned students it was amazing to see how many people cared about the issues we came together for. This year on Lobby Day we came together to work on increasing Minnesota’s Renewable Energy Standard up to 40% by 2030.

With my classmates and students from two other schools in District 51 and 57, we sat down for a conversation with Senator Clausen and Senator Carlson. The students asked them questions and informed them on our thoughts on increasing the Renewable Energy Standard. It was a great opportunity to, as their constituents, let them know about how we felt on these very important issues. I felt that the meeting went so successfully because of the great dialogue that the students were able to have with the senators. In hearing their thoughts and possible actions environmentally it reinforced not only how important these issues are but also how important it is to do the things that we are doing; becoming informed, having important conversations with peers, and getting involved, letting our voice be heard. Following our meeting with Senators Clausen and Carlson we then got to hear from the Governor, hear his opinion, ask him questions.

It was a deeply impactful day. Talking with friends and fellow classmates they could not say enough about how great the day had been, how impactful they felt, how they want to go again next year. For me and I’m sure for the others that were there, it felt that we put in a lot of effort into making a difference, in provoking change that we believe should be done.

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]]>madeline.flesvig@willstegerfoundation.org (Madeline Flesvig, Senior at School of Environmental Studies)Youth Action (Guest Bloggers)Mon, 09 Feb 2015 22:58:03 +0000Clean Energy and Jobs Lobby Day- A Huge Success!http://www.willstegerfoundation.org/component/k2/item/2089-clean-energy-and-jobs-lobby-day-a-huge-success
http://www.willstegerfoundation.org/component/k2/item/2089-clean-energy-and-jobs-lobby-day-a-huge-successThe Clean Energy and Jobs Lobby Day this past Monday was a huge success. Well over a hundred high school students from around the metro took time out of their busy lives to come to the Capitol and lobby their representatives to support a 40% renewable energy standard in Minnesota by 2030. It was a great demonstration of the power youth have when we come together and push for something we believe in.

The Clean Energy and Jobs Lobby Day this past Monday was a huge success. Well over a hundred high school students from around the metro took time out of their busy lives to come to the Capitol and lobby their representatives to support a 40% renewable energy standard in Minnesota by 2030. It was a great demonstration of the power youth have when we come together and push for something we believe in.

Even with so many amazing opportunities packed into one day, there was one that stood out far above the rest to me: the youth-only meeting with Governor Dayton. I had the privilege of planning and facilitating the meeting, something that I will not forget for a long, long time. It finally dawned on me how big of a deal the meeting was while Will Steger and I were waiting outside the church where Lobby Day was held, ready to welcome the Governor in. Some of his assistants came to the church ahead of time to make sure it was all ready to go, and had his arrival time predicted down to the very minute. Finally, a big black SUV rolled around the corner and up to the back door where we were waiting (just like in the movies!). The gravity of the situation hit me right then: this was a really big deal, and somehow I had ended up right at the center of it.

Once I was up on stage with Governor Dayton and youth leaders from the Sierra Club, MPIRG, Minnesota Interfaith Power and Light, and MN350, I was confident and ready to go. Each of the students presented their story or question, and the Governor responded candidly and positively to everything we had to say. It was great to see that the leader of our state is such a strong ally of ours regarding clean energy. When I directly asked him whether he would support the 40% renewable energy standard we had come to push for he gave a strong and definitive yes, which gave all of us a jolt of confidence towards making this idea a reality.

The best part of the meeting was not what Governor Dayton said while we met formally, but what he did after. He stayed at the church long past his half-hour time frame and took time to speak with the hundreds of students there. I saw smiles everywhere I looked, from the students to Will Steger to the director of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Everyone was uplifted by the positivity and energy in the room. Lobby Day created many energetic new climate change activists, encouraged by the demonstration of support from the chief executive of our state.

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]]>Kumar.Flower.Kay@willstegerfoundation.org (Kumar Flower Kay, Senior DeLaSalle High School)Youth ActionThu, 05 Feb 2015 23:00:02 +0000Lobby for a Cleaner Dayhttp://www.willstegerfoundation.org/component/k2/item/2088-lobby-for-a-cleaner-day
http://www.willstegerfoundation.org/component/k2/item/2088-lobby-for-a-cleaner-dayLobby Day was a very interesting time for my peers from Burnsville High School and me. Having taken the bus to the Capitol, I was very excited to see what was to come that day. I spent weeks helping YEA! MN gather students from my school for this awesome event. When reaching the church nearby for training, I was very interested by the speakers who discussed our agenda.

Lobby Day was a very interesting time for my peers from Burnsville High School and me. Having taken the bus to the Capitol, I was very excited to see what was to come that day. I spent weeks helping YEA! MN gather students from my school for this awesome event. When reaching the church nearby for training, I was very interested by the speakers who discussed our agenda.

One of my favorite aspects about Lobby Day was the bill we were working on. We were lobbying to increase Minnesota’s Renewable Energy Standard to 40% by 2030, if passed it will provide many jobs for clean energy along with reducing our carbon pollution. Being in an atmosphere among real people who are taking action to do what they believe in was a eye-opening experience. It was a change from being at school where people only do/participate in activities that their friends are doing.

One of my legislators that I talked with about the bill was Senator Dan Hall. My peers and I were nervous and felt intimidated at first to talk to him because who wouldn't be? Although once we started to talk to him, I realized he wasn't different than anyone else, as cliché as it sounds. He gave us a tour of where the senate meets and we discussed the bill right away. I was so happy because so far, he said he was on board!

I also enjoyed the meeting with governor Mark Dayton. How cool is that?! I don't mean to brag but I felt pretty important when he was discussing and answering the questions us youth had about the renewable energy standard and how to shift more towards clean energy. Some of my peers from Burnsville said that they would like to come back next year. Next year I will be even more prepared for Lobby Day now that I know what a lobbyist does and how to perform like one!

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]]>maedin.abegaz@willstegerfoundation.org (Maedin Abegaz, Junior at Burnsville High School)Youth Action (Guest Bloggers)Thu, 05 Feb 2015 22:53:29 +0000YEA! MN for democratic action!http://www.willstegerfoundation.org/component/k2/item/2079-yea-mn-for-democratic-action
http://www.willstegerfoundation.org/component/k2/item/2079-yea-mn-for-democratic-actionThe Youth Democracy Summit on January 17th was an extremely powerful and motivating experience. It was inspiring to see such a multitude of strong, smart, and driven young organizers all in one place. Going to the small-group panel on sustainable transportation in the 21st century was interesting to me because I was able to gain a perspective on the transportation issues that are present in greater Minnesota. Growing up in Minneapolis, I have always had…

The Youth Democracy Summit on January 17th was an extremely powerful and motivating experience. It was inspiring to see such a multitude of strong, smart, and driven young organizers all in one place. Going to the small-group panel on sustainable transportation in the 21st century was interesting to me because I was able to gain a perspective on the transportation issues that are present in greater Minnesota. Growing up in Minneapolis, I have always had many different transportation options available to me. I have the luxury of great bike lanes and bus routes that can efficiently get me anywhere in the city. People living in places like Mankato or Duluth don’t have those options, which then becomes an equity issue. I wasn’t aware of these things until we discussed them in a group with people living all around the state.

The large-group panel about Ferguson was very inspiring as well. As a young person, I felt that the youth organizers on the panel was especially important to me. The way they could command a room with how they spoke made me believe that I can do the same thing. After their discussion, I now feel like I am part of a real movement that is happening right now and will make a real difference for the future.

Despite how amazing all these speakers were, the highlight of the day for me was leading my first training. Natalie, the YEA! MN Coordinator, and I led a lobbying training designed to teach people who have little to no lobbying experience learn the basics of how to talk to their legislator. I had never led a training before, so it was a little daunting standing at the front of a room full of people older than myself. But I am naturally comfortable at presenting, so after a moment I was collected and ready to go. I talked to the audience about why we lobby and the basic process of how a bill becomes a law. Natalie created the training and was much more comfortable with the whole thing, so she led the group activity and most of the other segments. After how smoothly the whole presentation went, I feel like I am ready to do lots of other group trainings in the future.

Though not directed at any particular event, our lobby training was done in anticipation of the Minnesota Clean Energy and Jobs Day at the Capitol. We will be lobbying for a 40% renewable energy standard in Minnesota by 2030. The current energy standard calls for 25% renewable by 2025, which we are already on pace to break. Youth from all around the state will gather at Christ Lutheran Church near the Capitol to learn more about the renewable energy standard and how to effectively lobby their legislators. Then each student will get to meet with both their state senator and representative to talk about the renewable energy standard, as well as share any other issues that are important to them. As our representatives, it is their job to listen to what we care about, and lobby day is a great opportunity to show that as youth, together our voice can be heard. In the afternoon I will help facilitate a youth-only meeting with Governor Dayton along with student leaders from our partner organizations to further make clear what we want our state to look like in the future. I am so excited for this opportunity to show the Governor my ideas about what the future of Minnesota should be and that together youth have amazing power!

We are now off and running with the third iteration of the Emerging Leaders Mentorship Program!

We are now off and running with the third iteration of the Emerging Leaders Mentorship Program!

Every year we are learning how to bettersupport cross-generational learning and healthy working relationships to strengthen individuals and their networks and build the dynamic Midwest climate movement we need.

We have an outstanding pool of participants this year, with 24 people matched across 3 states: Minnesota, Michigan, and Illinois. The group brings a broad range of experiences and perspectives,ranging from grassroots organizing and community-led initiatives to state and federal policy work. This breadth is an asset, fostering rich conversations and cutting across issue and background, as well as age.

This program is designed to challenge assumptions and unlock innovation.

From the start, we knew we wanted to create a mentorship program that was “egalitarian,” where each participant could contribute as both a learner and a teacher. Our research exploring possible models consistently turned up evidence that peer mentorship results in the strongest relationships and greatest personal growth.

This year we are excited to introduce several new components to the program that will help us better achieve our goals.

Here’s how we facilitate the shared learning experience:

Broad and targeted recruitment around climate movement hot-spots and emerging issue areas across the Midwest

Strategic matching informed by participants with pairing across the age spectrum, connecting individuals with complementary interests and maximizing in-person meeting opportunities

Thorough orientation and personal goal-setting kicking-off the eight month commitment, with a group orientation call and pairs setting their own goals together during their first monthly meeting

Flexible structure offering participants the option to draw from a progression of discussion prompts and activities

Cross-pollination highlighting emerging conversations and insights, monthly for all participants, with discussion supported through an online forum and themed group calls

Closing with reflection, inviting participants to write a statement of intent of how they want to use what they learned, to share at an in-person gathering aligned with the RE-AMP Annual Meeting; feedback will be gathered to improve the program

As we hone these new tools and approaches, we are looking forward to deepening collaboration with the RE-AMP Network, a key partner in accelerating our program resources this year.

The RE-AMP Network, an active network of over 120 nonprofits and 8 foundations across eight Midwest states, was launched to support a collaborative approach to climate work, ultimately reducing carbon emissions economy-wide 80% by 2050. The Will Steger Foundation is a longstanding member, with staff active on the RE-AMP Steering Committee and coordinating the RE-AMP Youth Caucus.

Diving back into the soup of the Network’s innovative origins - this year, the Garfield Foundation is guiding RE-AMP staff in an exploration of “transformative mindsets.” Identified by staff to promote innovation, collaboration, and ultimately transformational work, these “mindsets” offer perspectives useful at the personal and network level. By weaving these mindsets into our activities, we invite our mentorship pairs to join us on the journey.

We are also excited to have our own online landing page on the RE-AMP website, where participants can access all our resources and share ideas across pairs more organically.

The Emerging Leaders Mentorship Program continues to evolve and we are learning more all the time about how to support an empowering shared learning experience and advance a more dynamic and effective Midwest climate movement through strong relationships.

Thank you to everyone who is bringing their energy and thoughts to this program!

On November 8th, 2014, 120 youth gathered at El Colegio High School in South Minneapolis to discuss pressing issues of climate justice and community organizing. With workshops on diverse topics such as Intersectionality, Climate Change, and Aquaponics, this event helped me understand the problems as well as the resources within our community. Overall, YouthCAN! was a great place to learn about climate justice and meet others engaging in community action around this subject.

Students engaged in Councilmember Alondra Cano's Closing Keynote

On November 8th, 2014, 120 youth gathered at El Colegio High School in South Minneapolis to discuss pressing issues of climate justice and community organizing. With workshops on diverse topics such as Intersectionality, Climate Change, and Aquaponics, this event helped me understand the problems as well as the resources within our community. Overall, YouthCAN! was a great place to learn about climate justice and meet others engaging in community action around this subject.

​At my school (De LaSalle) our Green Team is small, and doesn't have a large influence over school issues. Though most people in Green Team are excited about changing the current energy situation at our school, the overall student body is relatively apathetic. I came to YouthCAN! as not only a concerned student but also as someone wanting to learn more about community organizing. YouthCAN! delivered. The first workshop I attended focused on using art as a community education tool. Upon seeing a demonstration piece called "What the Frack!", I realized that my school could engage students in climate change education and action using performing arts like this.

Over the course of the day, I realized that climate change fits into a long-standing tradition at our school: Social Justice Week. This is a week in the spring where we focus on justice issues in our community; in the past we've talked about women's rights and ableism. Usually there is a lot of class discussion and education surrounding the issue of choice. Climate justice would fit well into Social Justice Week as a theme, and would be a good topic for education. After learning about these art-based educational techniques at YouthCAN!, I decided to propose Climate Change as our Social Justice Week theme next week at Green Team. This would be a great chance to organize with the whole community to focus on climate issues as it relates to social justice!

​YouthCAN! was a great chance to broaden my horizons personally as well as organizationally. The next workshop I attended, White Privilege, served as a great example. As a Colombian-Jewish American, I do not always feel "white". However, I realize that I benefit from our society's racist assumptions more than my darker-skinned hermanas Latinas. In the White Privilege workshop, we talked about ways that white and lighter-skinned people encounter different treatment in society, specifically in dealing with institutions like the police. While the conversation was enlightening, some of my friends who attended the workshop thought it was not deep enough. However, this blossomed into a conversation between us that had our group exploring how we deal with racial systems in school and with family. Overall, I experienced a heightening of awareness related to my privilege in society, and a desire to link communities together for further dialogue.

​The last workshop I attended was the r ecruitment session, where we learned about attracting people to join our cause (whatever cause that may be). The leader of this workshop helped attendees understand techniques to spread awareness of our groups and ways to attract members. One of the more important things I carried away from this workshop was the AIIA method: Ask about the person and get to know them, Inform them of your group's purpose and action, Involve them by specifically tailoring an opening to their interests, and Appreciate their interest and involvement. This strategy is much more effective than simply inviting someone to a faceless meeting; I will definitely use it with the Green Team recruitment at my school.

​While the workshops were enlightening, the highlight of YouthCAN! for me was the powerful words we heard from the featured speakers. Will Steger spoke on ice movement in the Antarctic and Arctic, using his own experience crossing the ice caps combined with scientific evidence to provide us with a better understanding of climate change. Another amazing speaker was Kim Wasserman, a community organizer from the Little Village neighborhood in Chicago. Her story was one of the most amazing things I took away from the event. As a resident of Little Village, she was unaware of what a factory in her neighborhood was until her son was diagnosed with asthma as a very young baby. After her doctor suggested it might be due to environmental factors, she investigated around her neighborhood and realized that the factory was actually a coal power plant. Over the next twelve years, she organized the community to protest the power plant and finally close it down. I have a tremendous respect for Ms. Wasserman: the determination, integrity, and care that she had in her efforts was beyond inspiring. She spoke to the difficulty of organizing a marginalized community against an oppressive system, the importance of community-based change, and the role of determined persistence in any movement. Though it is difficult to change entrenched systems, Kim Wasserman proved it possible.

Another highlight of YouthCAN! was meeting Alondra Cano, the first Mexican-American to serve on the Minneapolis City Council. Ms. Cano spoke on her childhood in Litchfield, her experience as a student organizer at the University of Minnesota, and the activism she has been involved in. Ms. Cano's words changed my viewpoint: I have never seen myself as a community organizer. Seeing someone like me talk about the change she has made in our community made me think about the fact that I can impact our community too. We still lack diversity in our institutions-our public universities, our city councils-and Alondra Cano has made it clear that we can bring diverse outlooks to public institutions to create effective change. Ms. Cano said that if we are not getting in trouble, then we are not doing enough. Personally, I know it's time to step up, participate in the movement, and get in trouble for a cause that I believe in.

​Overall, my experience at YouthCAN! was very positive, and inspired me to further action. I came out of YouthCAN! with a broader understanding of the issues facing my school, my community, and the Twin Cities as a whole. I also came out of the event with a greater understanding of the potential for youth to organize, and a better knowledge of the resources and organizations agitating for social change. In addition, I learned to dance the Charleston! YouthCAN! was a great experience, and I will definitely be coming to the next YEA! MN meeting on Monday!

I remember a hot, sticky day in mid-July in Washington DC sitting on my friend’s roof on a conference call with all my friends and committee members back in Minnesota, straining to hear what they were all saying. I couldn’t really hear what was happening but I could hear passion through the phone lines, people were getting ideas, and getting excited. We were brainstorming ideas for an event that would later develop into Youth CAN!…

I remember a hot, sticky day in mid-July in Washington DC sitting on my friend’s roof on a conference call with all my friends and committee members back in Minnesota, straining to hear what they were all saying. I couldn’t really hear what was happening but I could hear passion through the phone lines, people were getting ideas, and getting excited. We were brainstorming ideas for an event that would later develop into Youth CAN! (Youth Climate Action Now). This event took place November 8th at El Colegio High School. We had students from all over the Twin Cities metro-area, Wisconsin, and even Northfield and Worthington.

Youth CAN! became a reality. Lots of people showed up, we had 3 keynote speakers, 12 different workshops and a huge group discussion about the intersectionalities between social justice issues, environmental justice and activism. It was so completely extraordinary to be in a beautiful space with so many cool people with shared passions from different backgrounds, cultures, and places all over the area.

After working so hard on this event and investing a lot of time, it was incredible to see the event happen in real life after months of emails, phone calls, and all things not so physically real. In this long period of time I learned so much about planning events like this; how to gauge time when planning, how to write emails to people I don’t know, and how to realistically plan given the time and resources you have at hand. I think though the most important thing I learned was that youth can, no matter how ironic it is, or cheesy, youth can! Youth can plan, and we actually did! Youth can organize, and have passion, and most of all youth care. I know a lot of adults do, but youth care. It’s our future and we stand up for it, which gives me a lot of hope.

Something else that gave me a lot of hope was our opening keynote speaker Kim Wasserman. She is the director at LVEJO (Little Village Environmental Justice Organization), raising two kids, and after 12 years of fighting to get a coal plant shut down in her neighborhood she, LVEJO, and Little Village residents shut it down. First off, 12 years is a ridiculous amount of time to keep up the fight, and to have kept up passion, inspiration, and the determination to do this for that long, I am eternally in awe. I loved the way Kim Wasserman presented herself to us. She was real. She told us the facts and she told us the way she had a solution. You can see Kim Wasserman’s Goldman Prize interview here.

Another thing that gave me a lot of hope was the amount of people that came for our free, all-day event. About two weeks before the event we were starting to get a little stressed out about attendance, all this hard work we had been putting in, all the speakers and presenters would be putting in, and whether it would all be worth it. In the end we had about 160 people at the height of the day. Our original goal was 100.

Participating in YouthCAN! and through planning, I have come to realize that there is a lot of terrible stuff going on in the world. But there are people who care, people who drive 2 hours to go to a conference, people who take their Saturdays to talk about social justice, and people who, everyday, are spreading what they believe in a million different ways. To me that is hope.

Over 400,000 marching - more than three times the expected number! Some were actually finishing the march at the same time others were beginning. This extraordinary turnout might be attributed to the distributed organizing strategy, with 1574 participating organizations, or the inclusive and empowering messaging. I believe a key component was a growing common urgency in the populace, as people realize that climate change touches everyone and its already here. The question I asked myself…

Photo Credit: Shadia Fayne Wood

Over 400,000 marching - more than three times the expected number! Some were actually finishing the march at the same time others were beginning. This extraordinary turnout might be attributed to the distributed organizing strategy, with 1574 participating organizations, or the inclusive and empowering messaging. I believe a key component was a growing common urgency in the populace, as people realize that climate change touches everyone and its already here. The question I asked myself was, what does our movement need now?

I personally felt a call to action: to strengthen ties among people across all of our struggles, to uplift common threads to find common strategy, and to ensure the systems we rebuild address disparities and support empowerment of the people.

Youth, I believe, hear this call and are already playing a critical role in the movement, bringing innovation, optimism, and tenacity to systemic puzzles, asking hard questions to challenge the disparities reinforced by business as usual, and challenging themselves to take up leadership on tough issues where they see a void.

Something I am most proud of is the value young leaders now often place on leadership by people most impacted, and their courage in dissolving the artificial divisions and assumptions that cement the destructive status quo. Now coming together across race and class and identity is an expectation, not a footnote, and conflict is something to be worked through with respect and care, not something to shy away from. This was reflected in the youth convergence the day before. Reportedly 50,000 college students were out there in the street, though there were also many others who were younger, or not in higher education, who marched as well and are a critical part of the climate movement.

How serious will international leaders be about alleviating risks to vulnerable communities and empowering them to have agency in reinforcing their own resilience? I don't know. If taking to the streets in mass has any impact, we can take hope in the collective message coming from 2646 marches across the world in 162 countries. We can also take hope in the power of a mother's words to her daughter and to all of us: two days after the People's Climate March, Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner of the Marshall Islands delivered a poem to leaders at the UN Climate Summit, leaving them in a standing ovation.

Amplified in her words and echoed on film were the hundreds of thousands I was among but could hardly comprehend. She helped me to make the connections in my heart and mind to all those I walked beside, in flesh and spirit. Thank you Kathy and baby Matafele Peinem.

Thinking about what the movement needs, I lean back on the guidance offered by a Minneapolis based artist and amplifier of social justice, Ricardo Levins Morales, who says the health of a movement can be measured by its clarity, capacity, and unity. On the one hand you could say the movement is still victim to the divisions that keep the status quo in place. On the other, you could say that the veil is lifting and people are starting to see and feel the “one struggle” that ties us together.

Passing Central Park in the crowd, I saw a young black man playing a drum on the sidewalk with a coin cup and cardboard sign on the ground in front of him: “The Struggle is Real.” This helped me not to forget that there is real work to be done and I need to hold myself accountable to the dream of collective liberation wherever I am, marching in the streets of New York, organizing on the ground in Minneapolis, networking with youth across the nation, or celebrating life with all my relations.

Rumblings of the People's Climate March sifted through my inbox, my Facebook news feed, and casual conversations for months leading up to the day of the event. The invitation was to call for strong action on climate from international leaders at Secretary General Ban Ki Moon's UN Climate Summit. I was keeping an ear to the ground on the progress of my fellow youth climate organizers, but I had really no idea what to expect…

Photo: Natalie Cook

Rumblings of the People's Climate March sifted through my inbox, my Facebook news feed, and casual conversations for months leading up to the day of the event. The invitation was to call for strong action on climate from international leaders at Secretary General Ban Ki Moon's UN Climate Summit. I was keeping an ear to the ground on the progress of my fellow youth climate organizers, but I had really no idea what to expect in New York. No one did.

I hesitated, wary of how much stake to put in a march, but I was ready to buy a bus ticket once I learned the mass gathering was initiated and organized by key environmental justice groups of the Climate Justice Alliance, with “big green” orgs in a collaborative support role. To me, this indicated some maturing of the “environmental movement,” which has long passed over the connection of environmental stewardship to social injustice and overlooked the leadership of indigenous and front line communities. Now that we are in a global climate crisis, the mainstream may be ready to consider their wisdom.

I wanted to participate in this historic turning of the tide, and I wanted to feel the multitudes melding, where the different pieces of environmental, social, economic, and political efforts calling for common needs - stability, well being, health, connection, thriving - would start to feel and act like a cohesive movement.

MN350 organized the buses from Minnesota to Manhattan – six buses, though they could have easily filled a seventh, if they could have only found another driver. Typically, MN350 sends a max of two buses to these kind of events. As the weekend approached, it was clear that people were turning out in force, migrating from cities, rural towns, and foreign countries. All told, there were 550 buses in NYC coming from around the US, while many others came by more creative, lower carbon forms of transportation, including handmade boats and a small crew who came on foot from California.

To make the most of the weekend, I rode up on Saturday to catch the Youth Climate Convergence a day early and planned to remain in town after the march to catch the Climate Justice Alliance Summit - critical opportunities for regional organizing. Day of, I got to march with an excellent group of young people I am proud to know through the Will Steger Foundation– the Youth Environmental Activists of MN (YEA! MN), a gathering of the high school environmental club leaders from the Twin Cities metro area, all doing great work to empower their peers in actions advancing sustainability, on campus and in their communities.

Their bus arrived just in time for the start of the march – 11:30 am, and we rushed together though the eclectic, celebratory streets, only to find a wall of people, stacked thousands thick, waiting. During what turned into three hours of wait, we made acquaintance with a NYC based Ecuadorian couple waving a rainbow patchwork flag symbolizing respect for our Mother Earth, we shared pineapple with a local family from Mexico opposing plastic bags, and discussed youth movement building with a young activist from a local university. It was beautiful to see so many different people among us.

Gradually, through a group text system associated with the march and word of mouth through the crowds, we learned a bit more about what was going on and was in store. As it turned out, there were so many people that the front of the march had already moved up far beyond the five-block assembly area to make room for the hundreds of thousands of unexpected attendees. Rippling along that mass of people, the general commotion subsided in a moment of silence - honoring those who have died from the impacts of climate change and those who will suffer. Billowing up from the head of the throng was a roar of hollering - an alarm calling for action that seemed to come out like celebration. A cacophony of collective will.

The march began, in-by-inch, then step by step. A walking narrative of the movement, with marchers self selecting to walk in themed sections they identified with, beginning with indigenous people's, climate refugees, environmental justice communities and others – acknowledging their legacy and right to self determination, followed by blocks calling attention to the rights of those who will inherit the earth from us and our ability to create positive alternatives to the destructive status quo. Streaming behind these blocks were all those who didn't fit in the earlier in the line-up, thematically or physically, calling for bold action on climate change and/or demonstrating their will to make change, regardless of the outcomes of the UN Summit.

Hi, my name is Lucy West and I'm a senior at St. Paul Central High School in Minnesota. I am also a co-president of my school's environmental club, Roots & Shoots. I went to the People's Climate March with a group of high schoolers from around the Twin Cities as part of the YEA! MN youth delegation – a program of the Will Steger Foundation. The People's Climate March was a huge gathering of people…

"All the pictures where I look really angry are really just the second before I was making a face because I was happy and comfortable enough to be silly" -Lucy West

Hi, my name is Lucy West and I'm a senior at St. Paul Central High School in Minnesota. I am also a co-president of my school's environmental club, Roots & Shoots. I went to the People's Climate March with a group of high schoolers from around the Twin Cities as part of the YEA! MN youth delegation – a program of the Will Steger Foundation. The People's Climate March was a huge gathering of people in New York City of 400,000 people calling for immediate climate action.

At first, I was a little overwhelmed by how many people were crowded together especially the first hour and a half when we were waiting to march. It was impressive. It was exponentially more crowded than the busiest day at the state fair, and even that's a grand understatement!

The most powerful moment by far was the moment of silence for all those who have already passed away due to climate change and for those who don't have a voice. It was absolutely impressive how all 400,000 people could be so silent with their arms raised in unity. The quietest noises were the loudest in that moment as we took in the gravity. I had to break away for a moment to take a picture and capture how beautiful it was - to bring it home and share with others.

"It was exponentially more crowded than the busiest day at the State Fair" -Lucy West

For the rest of the march I was pretty exhausted, from the 25 hour bus ride there and from standing for so many hours. But I was filled with such joy from being around so many like-minded, impressive, and inspiring people. All the pictures where I look really angry are really just the second before I was making a face because I was happy and comfortable enough to be silly.

Overall, it was a great time and I'll remember this for the rest of my life. I'm writing this on the bus ride home the day after the March. It's been a crazy shift to go all the way to New York City and come back so fas t. It already feels like it was a dream. I've had such fun getting to know the other nine youth that came in our group. There were more than 50,000 youth, stretching for 10 city blocks. That's a lot of kid power!

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Lucy is the Co-President of the Central High School Roots & Shoots Environmental Club, and a member of the YEA! MN Steering Committee. A core program of the Will Steger Foundation, YEA! MN supports a network of high school environmental clubs working together across the Twin Cities Metro to empower student leadership on climate change solutions, facilitate shared skills and strategies, and take coordinated action at home, at school, and in the wider community.

Just in case you hadn’t heard! Over 400,000 people joined the People’s Climate March, including 50,000 students and young people! The student contingent took over 10 city blocks: http://on.fb.me/1ym7DEK The Will Steger Foundation was proud to send 10 high school students through our YEA! MN program on a 22 hours bus ride, joining over 400 other Minnesotans to be part of history in NYC.

[important color=red title=Introduction by Abby Fenton]

10 high school students from our YEA! MN program made the trip to NYC

Just in case you hadn’t heard! Over 400,000 people joined the People’s Climate March, including 50,000 students and young people! The student contingent took over 10 city blocks: http://on.fb.me/1ym7DEK

The Will Steger Foundation was proud to send 10 high school students through our YEA! MN program on a 22 hours bus ride, joining over 400 other Minnesotans to be part of history in NYC.

In case you thought Millennials were only active online – take a read through this compelling MSNBC article written by Maura Cowely, the young Executive Director of the Energy Action Coalition: The climate change generation finds its voice

Over 50,000 students and young people joined the March

Everyone’s got something to say about millennials. We’re the puzzle every marketer wants to crack, the conundrum every candidate wants to solve. Depending on what you’re reading, we’re job hoppers or jobless, optimistic or complex, socially aware or selfish.

This September, one thing is for sure: Millennials are stepping up to protect our future—and we’re paying attention to the political leaders who are (or aren’t) doing the same.

As world leaders descend on New York City for the historic United Nations Climate Summit happening on September 23, young people from all across the country will be there to greet them. We’ll be marching in the streets with tens of thousands of people at the People’s Climate March, demanding that the United States lead the world on taking bold and decisive action on climate change.

It would be wise for our elected leaders to listen. By 2015, the youth vote will surge past the Baby Boomers, and young voters will make up one third of the electorate. Recent history has already shown that we are a formidable force in U.S. politics. Our power was first proven in 2008, when young people turned out to volunteer and to vote in record numbers—and by overwhelming margins (66%)—for President Barack Obama, whose 2012 reelection was also due, in large part, to high levels of youth turnout (which broke for the president by a 67% margin).

“It would be wise for our elected leaders to listen. By 2015, the youth vote will surge past the Baby Boomers, and young voters will make up one third of the electorate.“ —MAURA COWLE

Throughout our nation’s history, young people have made up the vanguard of social change, often risking everything to force an idea whose time had come. The climate crisis is no different. The People’s Climate March is our chance to take to the streets of New York City and demand that President Obama and all the world leaders convened for the U.N. Summit act with the urgency and boldness that this issue requires: a complete ban on all fossil fuel extraction and rapid development of clean energy programs. After the People’s Climate March, we’ll be flooding Wall Street, sitting in and demanding an end to the abusive economic systems that allow corporate polluters to act unabated as they cause climate change.

With midterm years so often overlooked—and with many writing off young voters all together—the People’s Climate March represents a major turning point. More than 300 college campuses across the country will be represented by student delegations at the march. Thousands of young people are mobilizing, and the People’s Climate March is just the beginning – we’ll take our power and our demands to our campuses, to the big corporate polluters themselves and to the ballot box.

But our power to force action on climate change goes far beyond the voting booth. We are a generation that understands that our financial institutions have failed us, only serving the wealthiest among us. We know that our elected leaders are bought and sold to the highest bidder. We are a generation that opens up Twitter when there is major news, because we know that mainstream media rarely works fast enough or gives us the range of perspectives we’re looking for.

“The same broken cultural, economic and political systems that are at the root of inequality and racism in this country are also fueling the climate crisis.” —MAURA COWLEY

We are the most diverse, progressive and inter-connected generation in US history and we recognize that the same broken cultural, economic and political systems that are at the root of inequality and racism in this country are also fueling the climate crisis. For our generation, climate change is not just an environmental issue—it is a social justice issue.

Young leaders today also know that the fossil fuel industry has a fundamentally immoral business model. The CEOs who run dirty energy companies have made the cold-hearted calculation to burn every last ounce of fossil fuels they can get out of the ground—which will ultimately come at the expense of young people and our futures. Water and air pollution, human well-being, and the very harsh reality that their business model is fundamentally altering our climate simply do not factor into their decisions. Their only motive is profit.

And if that wasn’t enough, the fossil fuel industry has some of the deepest ties to our elected leaders. By turning away from dirty energy, we can begin to reclaim our democracy from corporate polluters. This opportunity for action is enormous; we can act on climate, create millions of good jobs in a new economy and break the stranglehold that the fossil fuel industry has on our democracy.

But we must act now. There is too much at stake to allow these flawed business models and broken political and economic systems to perpetuate themselves any longer.

The beautiful thing about the climate crisis is that the solutions, at their core, are very simple and clear: keep fossil fuels in the ground and invest in clean energy. This would trigger a massive shift in investments, which, if done correctly, could foster a new economic paradigm.

Right now, the economy is failing almost everyone. A massive shift from fossil fuels to clean energy has the potential to usher in a new economy, one that empowers workers, fuels new local businesses and begins to turn the tide on the inequality that has been so rampant in our economic system for generations.

After the People’s Climate March, we’ll go back home to our campuses and neighborhoods. But we’re going to keep organizing. Whether we’re getting arrested blocking the construction of new oil and gas pipelines, knocking on doors to sign up new members for the local solar cooperative and educate voters on candidates who answer our call for bold action on climate change, or helping our communities respond to climate disasters, one thing is very clear: this is a powerful grassroots movement that knows it’s time has come.

--

Maura Cowley is the executive director of Energy Action Coalition, a youth coalition united for social and environmental justice.

The new school year is just under way and YEA! MN is already hard at work. We kicked off the fall season with the YEA! MN Student Action Training to shake of the summer dust and get students geared up as critical leaders in their school communities. Eleven students from 7 different Twin Cities high schools spent their last Saturday afternoon of the summer learning new tools to empower their success as youth organizers in their…

YEA! MN student make their own banner to carry in the People's Climate March

The new school year is just under way and YEA! MN is already hard at work. We kicked off the fall season with the YEA! MN Student Action Training to shake of the summer dust and get students geared up as critical leaders in their school communities. Eleven students from 7 different Twin Cities high schools spent their last Saturday afternoon of the summer learning new tools to empower their success as youth organizers in their school environmental clubs.

The Student Action Training was designed to help students jump-start the year prepared to rebuild their student teams and launch/re-launch climate action projects on campus. Many earth club leaders begin the year having never managed a club, planned a local campaign, or facilitated a meeting. For most of our students this is their first significant leadership experience – and one that will lay the ground work for years to come. The training allowed students to connect with one another and gain the fundamental skills needed to become more confident and effective in their own leadership. After a series of workshops, including Climate Change 101, Recruitment, and Leadership Development, our newly elected student Co-Chairs kicked-off the first YEA! MN Steering Committee meeting of the year.

The YEA! MN Steering Committee is open to every high school student who wants to participate, with an emphasis on earth club leaders and other youth who want to take initiative on sustainability in their schools. Students set the agenda for these meetings and the elected Co-Chairs facilitate. In the past, the Steering Committee has been a place where we have held discussions on environmental justice, climate literacy, skills trainings, and planning for our large events. At our first meeting this year we brainstormed what we want to continue from last year’s program and what new events and activities we want to try in the coming school year.

As the YEA! MN Program Coordinator, September finds me busy meeting with earth clubs, supporting action project planning at schools, and assisting the sharing of best practices at steering committee meetings. Looking ahead to November we are also getting ready for Youth CAN! – a high school climate justice convergence planned by and for youth. Check it out here.

Tomorrow 10 students and myself will join over 300 Minnesotans embarking on a 22-hour bus ride to New York City to represent the Will Steger Foundation and youth around the globe at the People’s Climate March. We’ve gotten the permission forms turned in, figured out bus logistics, and had our parent information meeting. The students and myself are energized to be a part of this historic event. I’ve also been looking forward to this for additional reasons. I’m excited not only for our students to take part in something huge and meaningful, but also to support the transfer of their experiences back home to their schools and communities – to help them think about how they can build the movement and continue to take action. We know large events like this matter, but so does a local student-led action project on their campus - and so do the individual conversations they will be having with parents, teachers and friends about how important climate change is when they get home.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter (@YEAMN) and experience the weekend through the eyes of a teenager. Check back for student blogs from the YEA! MN delegation.

A core program of the Will Steger Foundation, YEA! MN supports a network of high school environmental clubs working together across the Twin Cities Metro to empower student leadership on climate change solutions, facilitate shared skills and strategies, and take coordinated action at home, at school, and in the wider community.

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]]>natalieblog@willstegerfoundation.org (Natalie Cook, YEA! MN Program Coordinator)Youth ActionThu, 18 Sep 2014 09:46:04 +0000Learning through Connectivityhttp://www.willstegerfoundation.org/component/k2/item/1968-learning-through-connectivity-2013-14-emerging-leaders-mentorship-program-in-review
http://www.willstegerfoundation.org/component/k2/item/1968-learning-through-connectivity-2013-14-emerging-leaders-mentorship-program-in-review The second iteration of the Emerging Leaders Mentorship Program successfully came to a close, after matching 21 cross-generational pairs of organizers and supporting them in an six month shared learning experience. Read more...

This past June, the second iteration of the Emerging Leaders Mentorship Program successfully came to a close, after matching 21 cross-generational pairs of organizers and supporting them in an six month shared learning experience.

The program’s egalitarian structure of co-mentorship encouraged all participants to engage as learners and teachers, with the premise that mutual relationships support the healthiest personal and movement growth. Through exposure to new paradigms of organizing, access to valuable networks, and constructive feedback from mentor partners, this program aimed to grow movement building potential at local and regional levels, while enabling young people to step more easily into the environmental leadership vacuum. The results suggest success on many fronts.

Regional Connectivity and Movement Building

This year the program engaged a cross-section of participants, from the RE-AMP network and beyond, in different sectors of the climate movement, from food justice, to extractive industries, to green economy, to clean energy and energy efficiency. Participants represented 6 different Midwest states: IA, IL, MN, WI, MI, and OH, with pairs of most matches living or working in the same state.

While 3 pairs chose to withdraw from the program for various reasons, mostly related to lack of capacity or change of employment, all pairs indicated they intended to continue connecting with their match. Out of the initial 42 people engaged, 20 were RE-AMP members, including 3 youth, with 2 other participants having been connected to RE-AMP through the Youth Caucus. Four youth participants became new RE-AMP members through the mentorship program. Seven youth participants registered for the RE-AMP in-person meeting, demonstrating further connectivity across the region.

Over the 6 month program,participants discussed challenges and opportunities for growth in their work and together developed new insights, in pairs and as a larger group.

Reflections on movement building that emerged on the 4 sets of monthly group calls:

Younger organizers seem to invest in local work instead of broader state and federal policy, which may be influenced by having fewer to no personal experiences with state and federal legislative wins

Personal experience influences one’s theory of change; this awareness could help connect local organizing with broader policy, and help guide more sensitive, respectful collaboration across ages, as policy campaigns currently do not tend to be accessible to youth or tend to engage them in a respectful way

Perspectives differ on the purpose and role of non-violent direct action/civil disobedience in the climate movement; to some it could be futile, antagonistic, and sad, whereas to others it brings important visibility to an issue, and may be the only remaining option to shift power; direct action that risks arrest can be a recognition that the person getting arrested and many others are already vulnerable or insecure (due to the threats of climate change, or other injustices), and that direct action is a serious statement calling for change.

Mainstream environmental organizations often seem to be ignoring or speaking for vulnerable communities, without bringing voices of impacted people to the forefront of decisions; building more mutually beneficial relationships and an understanding of followership/solidarity could help connect impacted people with decisions made about their security

According to feedback from participants, these insights generated and shared on these group calls expanded individuals perspectives. It is our hope that they may continue to influence decisions in broader networks seeking to address climate change, to which these participants belong.

Local Connectivity and Personal Relationships Pairs were matched as close in proximity as possible, enabling 15 of 17 pairs to meet in person at least once and up to 4 times. Frequency of meetings and type of connection varied among pairs, as their schedules and preferences differed. When not meeting in person, connecting by phone was the most typical alternative, though Skype and Google Hangouts were also used.

Feedback from participants included requests for a longer program, even up to a year, so that the relationships between pairs could further develop, as well as for more support to have in-person interaction, which reinforced the importance of face-to-face meetings indicated by earlier research on mentorship best practices. Matching pairs that live and work even more closely together geographically will be a priority going forward.

Younger participants indicated that their match helped them to better understand possible career options and next steps to take on their path, and several matches used this program to reflect deeply on challenges of “transitional leadership,” which is highly relevant to filling leadership vacuums and supporting youth in connecting employment opportunities.

Many participants indicated that they would be interested in participating again next year, either with the same match or a new one based on complementary growth interests and expertise among applicants.

Evaluation and Preparation for Next Year To help quantify intended outcomes related to connectivity and value of egalitarian relationships, this year participants were given a pre- and post-program survey, modeled off “self efficacy” tests used in education. The results are still being processed, but they will help capture shifts in perspectives of participants on the value of cross-generational collaboration and egalitarian relationships, their perceived ability to hold those working relationships, and how connected they feel to their city, state, and the Midwest.

In addition to responding to the evaluation, participants have provided great insights about how to improve the program for next year. One resounding piece of advice was to support even more personal connection across pairs, possibly by sharing discussion ideas in an online forum and having a page with bios and photos of all participants. Another amendment is to provide more structure for conversations, through optional prompt questions and topics.

These suggestions and others will help hone this program’s ability to support cross generational co-mentorship that can grow knowledge and capacity of individual participants and their organizations, while building a more effective and connected movement to address climate change.

If you are interested in joining the 2014-2015 cycle of the Emerging Leaders Mentorship Program, contact Savannah Duby at: savannah@willstegerfoundation.org. Participants will be invited to apply primarily in August and September 2014.

YEA! MN is unique in that we are an authentically student directed program. This means that my job is not to tell students what we should do but ask them what they want to do. Of course, I still provide feedback and suggestions, however the purpose is to help them more fully think through their action projects, ideas, and what they want to accomplish. The place where this happens is at our youth steering committee meetings. Twice a month…

YEA! MN students talk with Governor Dayton following a youth summit this spring

YEA! MN is unique in that we are an authentically student directed program. This means that my job is not to tell students what we should do but ask them what they want to do. Of course, I still provide feedback and suggestions, however the purpose is to help them more fully think through their action projects, ideas, and what they want to accomplish. The place where this happens is at our youth steering committee meetings. Twice a month our students come together to learn about issues, discuss questions they have, invite in speakers, and plan events.

This year we had two series of speakers join the steering committee meetings. John Smith, the WSF Education Program Assistant led thoughtful activities and discussions on climate literacy, and Joe Kruse, the WSF Equity Consultant, led students through discussions on race and equity, providing a safe space to discuss tough questions and learn together.

Beyond action projects at our schools, our students took action together in their communities at the local and state level. Over 70 students came to the State Capitol for our annual Youth Lobby Day to meet with their legislators about increasing Minnesota’s renewable energy standard. Students got a refresher on how a bill becomes a law and got to see the rooms and meet the people where it all happens. Most importantly they learned what their role is as citizens in making policy and shaping the future of our state. You can read our student blog here: http://bit.ly/1dYdkiw

On Earth Day this spring our students partnered with several other youth organizations, including MPIRG, MN Youth Environmental Network, and the Sierra Student Coalition to host a youth forum with Governor Dayton to discuss the critical environmental issues facing our state and share student perspectives and concerns. Click here to read our student reflection: http://bit.ly/1rNr0h9

South high students deliver 400 post cards to Hennepin County Commissioner in support of Minneapolis waste reduction

Students also worked together joining the coalition against the HERC incinerator expansion in Hennepin County, an environmental and public health concern disproportionately impacting low-income communities of color in the city. At South High School students collected over 400 postcards that were delivered to their Hennepin County Commissioner urging the Commission to increase recycling and composting efforts and decrease waste. Working on this issue together provided an opportunity to connect many issues they care about. This built off of previous years work on composting and recycling, their passion for social justice and public health, and an interest in how local policy affects their lives and the lives of their neighbors. Connecting issues in the world around them lead to thoughtful discussions about intersectionality, how we can support social movement that are different from gut related to our own, and how to best organize our peers. The discussions and questions that our students were asking each other are not only be inspirational to me as an organizer that cares about leadership development, but I believe should give us all a sense of hope for our future. With students like our YEA! MN leaders growing up and moving out into the world, I feel more confident in our ability to tackle huge and hard problems. Read more about student engagement in the HERC campaign: http://bit.ly/1g7WMmi

At the last steering committee meeting we elected two new co-chairs, Carlos from El Colegio Charter School and Kendra from South High. The two students will be leading YEA! MN next year, planning for steering committee meetings and working with me to train their peers in organizing and leadership skills that we hope will serve them for a lifetime. In early June we held a retreat at the Land School Homestead in rural Wisconsin, a chance to thank and say goodbye to our graduating senior and celebrate our accomplishments. We planted pumpkins, weeded onions, debriefed our outstanding YEA! MN program year, and started planning for next fall. With a YEA! MN delegation to the People’s Climate March in September, a youth climate justice conference on the docket for November, and a fleet of student-led action projects ready to take flight, next year promises to be yet another action-packet adventure.

We have wrapped up a fantastic year at YEA! MN.Our students have wrestled with big issues, learned about organizing, and taken action on projects they care about; all while going to high school, doing their homework, and participating in other community and extra curricular work.I have never been so impressed and proud of a group of youth- no, scratch that, I have never been so proud of a group of people!

We have wrapped up a fantastic year at YEA! MN. Our students have wrestled with big issues, learned about organizing, and taken action on projects they care about; all while going to high school, doing their homework, and participating in other community and extra curricular work. I have never been so impressed and proud of a group of youth- no, scratch that, I have never been so proud of a group of people!

Each student earth club has completed at least one action project over the course of the year. Each school has it’s unique challenges for students making each action plan was unique. St. Paul Central High School completed a project multiple years in the making and had four hydration stations installed on campus. These water fountains encourage students to use reusable water bottles to cut down on waste, pollution, and social justice concerns associated with single use bottles. Central’s earth club, Roots and Shoots, fundraised creatively for the hydration stations through a variety events they hosted over multiple school years.

Minneapolis South Green Tigers also worked to install a hydration station. By fundraising and securing mini-grants when school starts next year they will have one installed in their hallway and funding and knowledge to continue to install several more in the coming year. Similar to the campaign at Central, this project involved working with administrators, negotiating with businesses, educating other students about the issues, and capturing how this would change other students behaviors through project evaluation. You can read our student blog here: http://bit.ly/1r9gtPs

South completed several other action projects this year, building on their past success by hosting another Bike to School Week and bringing speakers into the earth club to facilitate discussion and learn more about other issues related to climate change, environmental justice, and sustainability.

Thanks to program support from the Hennepin County Green Partners Education Program, YEA! MN helped to start a new Earth Club this year, The Green Jaguars, at El Colegio Charter School in South Minneapolis. With committed student and newly elected Co-Chair of the YEA! MN steering committee, Carlos, leading the way the Green Jaguars started an aquaponics system, hosted a grounds spring clean up, worked on the vegetable garden, and planted a butterfly garden.

Hopkins High School Earth Club took advantage of the Hennepin County Green Partners ‘Learning Trunks’ and taught elementary age students about recycling, its impact on the environment and how they can change their behavior. They also teamed up with the high school’s social justice group and hosted “Donuts for Justice”, a speaker series inviting local leaders to come after school and talk about important issues at the intersection of the environment and justice; of course everyone who came got a donut!

At Eden Prairie High School students hosted an Earth Week with different events and actions each day, including the popular trash clean up competition with prizes for the team that collected the most pounds of trash.

These action projects were richer and more successful because of the support that each student received from their peers at other high schools through the YEA! MN steering committee. Twice a month between 5 and 15 of our students met at the Will Steger Foundation office for a student-led steering committee meeting. Shira and Bryn, our mighty Co-Chairs for the 2013-14 school year would lead students in project updates, planning events, and coordinate guest speakers on a range of topics.

Whew, what a year! And that is just the school action projects. Congratulations to all of our students for their amazing work! Stay tuned for an update on our civic engagement and student involvement at a community, state, and federal scale.

A core program of the Will Steger Foundation, YEA! MN (Youth Environmental Activists Minnesota) supports a network of high school environmental clubs working together across the Twin Cities Metro to empower student leadership on climate change solutions, facilitate shared skills and strategies, and take coordinated action at home, at school, and in the wider community.

The 2014 YEA! MN Retreat was definitely the best team bonding experience we’ve had so far this year. We’ve gained many new members compared to last year and over one night we became very close. We decided as a group we would take a trip to the Lake Country Land School Farm in Wisconsin. Our first day on the farm we got a tour of the farm and later on got to plant various types of squash…

A core program of the Will Steger Foundation,Youth Environmental Activists Minnesota (YEA! MN) supports a network of high school environmental clubs working together across the Twin Cities Metro to empower student leadership on climate change solutions, facilitate shared skills and strategies, and take coordinated action at home, at school, and in the wider community. At the close of every school year YEA! MN takes a field trip away to celebrate the year’s successes and reflect on learning and growth opportunities for the coming school year. Student leaders play an active role in planning and coordinating the retreat.

The 2014 YEA! MN Retreat was definitely the best team bonding experience we’ve had so far this year. We’ve gained many new members compared to last year and over one night we became very close. We decided as a group we would take a trip to the Lake Country Land School Farm in Wisconsin. Our first day on the farm we got a tour of the farm and later on got to plant various types of squash and pumpkin. It’s safe to say we are the fastest planters YEA! MN has ever seen. During the planting process we were able to get to know each other more which made it more of a bonding experience.

That night we also had a YEA! MN meeting about this year’s steering committee. The conversation got pretty in-depth fast. Our new co-chairs Kendra and Carlos asked the group two questions, what would you change about YEA! MN and what would you keep? The discussion started quickly and we found that we all had similar opinions and goals for YEA! MN. By the end of the meeting I felt very many different feelings of happiness, excitement, comfort and possibility. Then we ended the night perfectly with a bonfire, campfire songs, photographs and playing ultimate frisbee.

Our last day at the farm started great with a feast of leftovers. We finished five and a half loaves of banana bread, watermelon, granola bars, and lots of other treats- needless to say the teenagers were content. Our task for the last day was getting to work with the animals, planting some more squash, and hoeing the crops. We definitely learned how much work it takes to be a farmer, but also how exciting it is to watch your creations grow.

By the end of the trip we were all tired, but enjoyed our last few hours on the farm with some lunch and messages of appreciation to each member of YEA! MN. We all enjoyed getting our hands dirty with the plants, feeding the animals and getting to have some quality team bonding time. Going home with a paper of comments given by members of YEA! MN expressing their appreciation and excitement to have you apart of the team was a pleasant end to a great weekend together.

For 5 days, Native American tribal leaders, ranchers, and farmers made their united presence known on the National Mall, as they peacefully demonstrated against construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. Their message was: Reject and Protect.

Photo Credit: Pavla Frazier

For 5 days, Native American tribal leaders, ranchers, and farmers made their united presence known on the National Mall, as they peacefully demonstrated against construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. Their message was: Reject and Protect. On the final day, everyone in solidarity with those who lived along the proposed route were invited to walk in procession up Independence Avenue, to present a hand-painted tepee to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, in President Obama’s name.

Over two thousand people, from around the country and some from overseas, came to participate in this ceremony. Showing solidarity from the Midwest, our busload of 48 activists and concerned citizens from Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois arrived at the Reject and Protect encampment just in time to hear the voices of the front lines. From all along the pipeline route, Indigenous leaders and landowners shared their stories, spoke of the threats to the water and land we all depend on, and demonstrated their resolve to set aside borders – political, racial, geographic - to speak up for our future generations.

From Nebraska and South Dakota, leaders in the Cowboy Indian Alliance stood together as stewards of the Ogallala Aquifer, which lies under the proposed pipeline. From First Nations in Alberta, Canada, indigenous organizers, like Eriel Deranger of the Athabasca Chipewayan Nation and Crystal Lameman of the Beaver Lake Cree Nation, shared with the young Alliance their experiences grappling with the TransCanada oil company and facing water contamination and sickness from tar sands extraction in the North.

Billowing behind the speakers and their families, for all to see, was the painted tepee, representing the common sacred water, sacred land and common hope for coming together to protect their legacy and those who would bear the effects of climate change.

Riding the energy of these speeches, the crowd formed a procession behind indigenous leaders and landowners on horseback, the painted tepee canvas stretched behind them. With a final blessing, the tepee was delivered, calling on President Obama to honor his word and his name, given to him by the Lakota and Crow in 2008: “Oyate Owicakiye Wicasa / Awe Kooda Bilaxpak Kuuxshish,” translated as “Man Who Helps the People” and “One Who Helps People Throughout the Land.”

Regathering at the encampment, tribal leaders, farmers, and ranchers of the Alliance thanked those who made the five day demonstration possible and honored this moment as a beginning. One of the organizers of Reject and Protect, Jane Kleeb of Bold Nebraska, followed by confirming the resolve of the Alliance to continue opposing tar sands development, to protect current and future generations. Inviting the crowd to concentrate their will and unify our hearts, Dallas Goldtooth of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe led the crowd in a chant: “When one falls, we all fall.” The energized and condensed spectators became a lively and attentive mass that was immediately swept into the words of Frank Waln, a young hip hop artist from the Rosebud Sioux Tribe: “When I rise, you rise.”

I heard many messages that day, some to President Obama, some to neighbors on the front lines, and some to the audience that did not carry the same experience as those directly in the path of extreme extraction and corporate power. Ultimately, from out of the many stories shared and the collective actions of this extended ceremony, swelled a resounding hope and deep commitment to support each other in the long struggle ahead.

Priyanka Zylstra, Senior at Minneapolis South High School, delivered the following closing remarks at the Clean Energy & Jobs Earth Day Rally at the Minnesota State Capitol, following Governor Mark Dayton, Congresswoman Betty McCollum, Senator John Marty, Reprentative Melissa Hortman, and Polar Explorer Will Steger. She spoke to crowd of 500 people and drew huge applause.

Priyanka Zylstra, Senior at Minneapolis South High School, delivered the following closing remarks at the Clean Energy & Jobs Earth Day Rally at the Minnesota State Capitol, following Governor Mark Dayton, Congresswoman Betty McCollum, Senator John Marty, Reprentative Melissa Hortman, and Polar Explorer Will Steger. She spoke to crowd of 500 people and drew huge applause.

Priyanka is a volunteer leader in the Sierra Club and Sierra Student Coalition, and youth Steering Committee member for Youth Environmental Activists of Minnesota (YEA! MN), a core program of the Will Steger Foundation. She was instrumental in recruiting 40 Minnesota high school students to participate in Power Shift in Pittsburgh last fall and has continued to support peer engagement in beyond coal organizing and local climate change solutions across the Twin Cities Metro and beyond.

Hey Clean Energy and jobs rally! Can we make some noise?

I’m here to talk to you about why action on climate change and clean energy is not only important for the future, but why it is crucial for our communities right now!!!

We need to take action on environmental justice and equity TODAY. People across Minnesota don’t have time to waste.

I’m honored to be here with you all, but frankly I’m also kind of pissed. I’m pissed that I have to fight for the right for clean water and clean air and for my future.

There is no reason that lakes, rivers and streams should be polluted by mercury. No reason that our air should be polluted, and no reason that people should be suffering the health impacts and the effects of climate change.

We have the will, the resources and the opportunity to be leaders, to innovate on clean energy and to protect our communities, while creating healthy, good paying jobs and improving the quality of our environment.

There are very real threats to building a clean energy economy here in MN. out of state interests are not just threatening our progress on energy and climate but are also perpetuating injustices in our communities, particularly communities of color. This is unacceptable and they need to know that we will not stand for this.

Minnesota is known for its beauty, for its nature, for its kindness and its people. We should also be known for our tenacity and leadership on issues of importance. Working for 50% clean energy by 2030 is something that can unite us, that will create jobs and that can give us a brighter future and a better NOW.

Thanks y’all for coming today. I know there are a lot of young people that are excited to be here with you all and are eager to sing you a song about our vision for a clean energy future. Can those folks, participating in the song please make their way to the stage.

On Thursday, April 3rd, the public utilities office in Saint Paul served as a space for people to speak in opposition or in support of expansion to the Alberta clipper pipeline. The oil traveling through the Alberta Clipper comes from tar sands operations, said to be "the dirtiest form of oil on this planet" by 350.org.

On Thursday, April 3rd, the public utilities office in Saint Paul served as a space for people to speak in opposition or in support of expansion to the Alberta clipper pipeline. The oil traveling through the Alberta Clipper comes from tar sands operations, said to be "the dirtiest form of oil on this planet" by 350.org. This expansion would mean an increase of 5 billion gallons per year coming through this pipeline. From my perspective, this expansion is not in the best interest of people and the planet, but when I was first presented with this opportunity to testify, I rejected it. The thought of speaking my mind in front of a powerful group of adults was terrifying, and that fear was enough to trump my commitment to act as an empowered young person and stand up for what I believe. However, I was lucky because Natalie Cook, the coordinator of the Youth Environmental Activists of Minnesota (YEA! MN) and the one who had asked me to testify in the first place, encouraged me to reconsider. I ended up deciding that there was no logical reason for me not to testify. If I don't want this pipeline expansion to happen, then I must add my voice to the opposition.

Once I knew that I was going to testify, I had to figure out what I wanted to say. Using my own background knowledge of the situation and my feelings about this extreme extraction process, as well as reading through the fact sheets provided by the MN350 organization, I developed my testimony. Quite simply, I stated that it is wrong to take an action that puts people's food, water, and air in danger in the name of corporate profit. I talked about the cancer, asthma, behavioral problems, and numerous other health issues that are found in highly elevated rates around and downstream of tar sands operations. I referenced the spill in Kalamazoo from 2010 to express the reality that pipelines break, it's only a matter of when. I kept it simple, expecting that the people who testified before me would have already hammered out most if the talking points. As it turned out, I was the only the second person to testify in opposition of the expansion. This took me by surprise, but was probably for the best because it offered less time for my nerves to kick in.

My name was called, I stepped up to the microphone, and I delivered my testimony. It was as simple as that. It was pretty cool to receive a chunk of time that I had complete control over, where I could say whatever I wanted to the suit-and-tie people from Enbridge and from the public utilities office. I am extremely grateful that I live in a time and place where I am not only allowed, but encouraged to share my thoughts on important public issues. However, to quote the testimony of my friend Cliff, who was the very first person to testify that evening, "when will the people be in control of their energy future, instead of just being consulted about it?". While it is so important to be grateful for having the privilege of sharing our thoughts in this hearing, it is also necessary to see the flaws in a system that goes through the motions of being democratic and asking for public opinion, but ultimately is still only in the hands of those with power.

Helen is a leader in Northfield Transition Youth and joined the YEA! MN delegation at the 2013 Power Shift youth climate summit last fall. A core program of the Will Steger Foundation,YEA! MNsupports a network of high school environmental clubs working together across the Twin Cities Metro to empower student leadership on climate change solutions, facilitate shared skills and strategies, and take coordinated action at home, at school, and in the wider community.

Thursday afternoon April 3rd, 300 protesters from across the Great Lakes region from multiple generations, marched with high spirits through the final fits of winter, to a contested case hearing, holding Enbridge on trial to re-examine the need to expand tar sands infrastructure, specifically Line 67, the Alberta Clipper, which would transport 800,000 barrels of tar sands oil per day across MN to Lake Superior. Young people brought their creative energy with chanting, drumming, and…

Photo Credits: Christy Newell

Thursday afternoon April 3rd, 300 protesters from across the Great Lakes region from multiple generations, marched with high spirits through the final fits of winter, to a contested case hearing, holding Enbridge on trial to re-examine the need to expand tar sands infrastructure, specifically Line 67, the Alberta Clipper, which would transport 800,000 barrels of tar sands oil per day across MN to Lake Superior. Young people brought their creative energy with chanting, drumming, and a pipeline puppet masquerade, which brought to life the speeches from organizers and respected community leaders at the send-off from Kellogg Park.

The hearing, held at the St. Paul Public Utilities Commission, was inundated with people sharing their concerns with the decision of expansion, in opposition and support. Indigenous rights activists brought up treaty rights issues and the threat to their culture and livelihoods from pollution, while other residents from the Great Lakes region called out the risk to health and natural resources from tar sands oil spills. Climate activists emphasized that expansion of tar sands infrastructure would lock-in extraction and burning of the most carbon intensive fuel source. On the side supporting expansion, dozens of union members shared concerns about job creation and the need to secure reliable oil. One stressed the need to continue tar sands development to spare his children the uncertainty that would come with an oil recession (MPR).

While only 50 of 150 people against the expansion got to testify, youth took the lead. The first to testify was a recent graduate of a Northfield high school, Cliff Martin, expressing his respect for unions: “No job is worth death. No man ought to be employed by the destruction of his brothers and sisters, no human being should make a living off sacrificing the living earth that sustains all of us.” Natalie Hoidal from the University of Minnesota Morris spoke about climate scientists’ predictions of the future: “It's pretty scary to think that we have to deal with these problems. But, what's more scary is that we know what we need to do and it's not being done. We are talking about extracting the dirtiest oil on the planet and burning it into the atmosphere." In addition to her testimony, she delivered 50 additional written comments by young people from her college who could not be there. Hundreds of written comments have been delivered to the administrative law judge already, likely to be followed by many more, between now and April 14th.

Many activist groups coordinated to bring visibility to the pipeline’s expansion and to make sure the voices of impacted people were heard. Honor the Earth, MN350, and the Sierra Club, played a large role and were joined on Thursday by the MICATS, Minnesota Inter-Faith Power and Light, and others. Andy Pearson, MN350 Midwest Tar Sands Coordinator, who spearheaded the event, pointed out that a critical part of what made the event possible was the dedicated teams of young people across the state. Macalester students planned logistics, created the pipeline puppets, secured a bus load of students to attend the rally, and brought 80 additional written comments. Other groups involved were the Minnesota Public Interest Research Group, with young people from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and Morris, as well as Duluth; MN350 Divestment, from the University of Minnesota and Gustavus Adolphus College; the Minnesota Youth Environmental Network; Youth Environmental Activists of MN (a program of the Will Steger Foundation); Grand Aspirations; and XL Dissent. As this decision is part of a much larger transition from status quo to healthier and more just systems, it is exciting to see so many young people at the forefront, calling for attention to their future now.

The Will Steger Foundation’s Emerging Leaders Mentorship Program is engaging forty environmental leaders in six Midwest states in powerful dialog across the generational spectrum. This co-mentorship model pairs young and veteran environmental leaders with complementing experience and growth interests to share perspectives in an egalitarian exchange.

The Will Steger Foundation’s Emerging Leaders Mentorship Program is engaging forty environmental leaders in six Midwest states in powerful dialog across the generational spectrum. This co-mentorship model pairs young and veteran environmental leaders with complementing experience and growth interests to share perspectives in an egalitarian exchange.

How does local organizing fit into the context of state and federal policy work?

How do generational perspectives differ and align on where to push in order to get meaningful change?

How can young people access funding and elevate the value of local work, when most of the funding is in the hands of older generations and focused on state and federal campaigns?

How can REAMP better measure success across local community-based initiatives and state-level policy campaigns?

How does the development of a personal narrative help to connect local action to legislative efforts, and change the political dynamic?

Why do Big Greens often find it challenging to engage youth in their political campaigns? Are they consistently and inherently inaccessible to youth?

How do we create spaces in REAMP and the larger Big Green network to talk about emerging innovative models that support transition to a green economy, as well as campaigns that push back against the fossil fuel status quo?

Mentorship participants also have monthly opportunities to join a group call, where they can share questions and insights with others in the program. Our February call generated insight into contrasting generational perspectives on state and federal policy work based on differing life experiences: Baby Boomers have seen many legislative wins over the course of their careers, whereas Millennials have only known gridlock, causing many youth to have little faith in policy. Instead, many youth organizers value local grassroots organizing as a leading strategy for change.

On our March call, participants explored how traditional approaches to environmental policy change could become more compatible with youth and local interests, and discussed how stories of self might feature in bridging this divide.

The following best practices provide a guide for the program:

Best learning comes out ofmutually respectful relationships

Aclear orientation process is important to establish guidelines and expectations for the co-mentor relationship

Good communicationbuilds trust; this can be supported through program structure, the orientation, and facilitation

Participants decide onadditional parameters for their exchange, including thedevelopment of personal objectives, expectations of each other, meeting frequency, etc.

Ongoing support of mentor partners provides accountability and trouble-shooting assistance

Creating aculture of mentorship is important and helps participants transfer the programto other relationships and settings in their professional and personal life.

Matching participants in the same geographic location fosters sustainable relationships and collaboration

The Emerging Leaders Mentorship Program is designed to facilitate cross-generational dialog in an egalitarian environment, as mentorship programs based on mutually respectful relationships tend to support more empowering growth. Ultimately, the program provides an opportunity to build new and lasting relationships that can shape a more inclusive paradigm and a more coordinated strategy on climate change solutions.

Over 125 young people turned out for the Youth Environmental Lobby Day at the MN State Capitol, hosted by the Will Steger Foundation and the MN Public Interest Research Group (MPIRG), calling for a stronger state Renewable Energy Standard to provide all Minnesotans with at least 50% of their electricity from renewable energy by 2030, and to expand energy efficiency programs that work. High School Sophomore, Kendra Roedl, was as the event and shares her…

Over 125 young people turned out for the Youth Environmental Lobby Day at the MN State Capitol, hosted by the Will Steger Foundation and the MN Public Interest Research Group (MPIRG), calling for a stronger state Renewable Energy Standard to provide all Minnesotans with at least 50% of their electricity from renewable energy by 2030, and to expand energy efficiency programs that work. High School Sophomore, Kendra Roedl, was as the event and shares her reflection below.

Kendra and fellow YEA! MN students lead the room in a rally song to the tune of Miley Cyrus 'Wrecking Ball'

“Hi, my name is Kendra, I'm a sophomore at South High, and a member of Youth Environmental Activists of Minnesota (YEA! MN). I'm very passionate about the environment and our health. Today, I would like to talk to you about the Minnesota Renewable Energy Standard.”

Having never lobbied before, I ran this through my head continuously while waiting to meet with both my district’s Senator and Representative. Introductions were just one of the things we were guided on in the morning before lobbying. Other things included how to start the conversation, what to do if they're for the new standard, what to do if they're against it, and some more information about the Renewable Energy Standard itself.

Although they helped very much, this training, previous trainings, and similar events, could not make me feel 100% confident when lobbying for the first time. So fortunately, when meeting with my Senator, my fellow two constituents had already met with their Representative and knew what to do. What I learned was that what to do wasn't all that hard. So after one successful meeting I was ready for another.

Surprisingly enough, being able to lobby and knowing your way around the Capitol and State Office building was not the point of the day, but it was to see which of the legislators are on board for the Minnesota Renewable Energy Standard bill. If this bill passes, 50% of Minnesota's electricity would come from renewable sources. This transition would require much more energy-efficiency. If the legislators were on board, we wanted to keep them there, if not we wanted to move them towards the bill even if that meant neutrality.

The environment and social justice are very important to me because it's MY future I'm fighting for as a youth, but throughout planning for lobby day and the weeks leading up to it, there was a nagging question at the back of my head: being a nonvoter, will lobbying be just a waste of both my and my legislator's time? The answer hit me when I saw adults come out of their offices to hear my fellow youth lobbyists and I belt out our eco-friendly rendition of Wrecking Ball. I learned that whether or not they want to, they listen.

YEA! MN student gave an eco-twist to Myley Cyrus' song 'Wrecking Ball', singing out for 'clean energy by 2030' in the MN State Capitol Rotunda

A core program of the Will Steger Foundation, YEA! MN supports a network of high school environmental clubs working together across the Twin Cities Metro to empower student leadership on climate change solutions, facilitate shared skills and strategies, and take coordinated action at home, at school, and in the wider community.Learn more about our program at. www.yeamn.org.

At noon on Sunday, March 3, 2014 I used a plastic zip-tie to lock myself onto the fence in front of the White House and remained there for nearly six hours in protest of the Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline. Alongside me, 304 fellow young people did the same thing, while another 70 or so of us collapsed on a giant black plastic ‘oil spill’ we had created in the center of the sidewalk.…

Cole Norgaarden, YEA! MN Alum, Student at Cornell University

At noon on Sunday, March 3, 2014 I used a plastic zip-tie to lock myself onto the fence in front of the White House and remained there for nearly six hours in protest of the Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline. Alongside me, 304 fellow young people did the same thing, while another 70 or so of us collapsed on a giant black plastic ‘oil spill’ we had created in the center of the sidewalk. Mounted park police were at the ready and began to cordon off the area as soon as we assumed our protest positions. It was very clear that we would be arrested if we stayed – and 372 of us chose to do just that. According to the yellow band still hanging from my left wrist, I was #348.

We are given many reasons not to be arrested. In our culture, a fixation on self-centered financial security deters us from taking risks for purely ethical reasons, which are deemed idealist. The myth that civil disobedience will hinder youth from future opportunities is pervasive, which in turn maintains the fixation – a mindset that encourages our submission and insults our empathy. We are conditioned to view disobedience as reckless, shortsighted, and futile, which – under some circumstances – it may be. But in the context of this protest, there is no question: the truly reckless, shortsighted, and futile thing to do is spend millions of dollars on building extensive pipeline infrastructure for transporting the dirtiest fuel on Earth. Keystone XL is a pipeline that severs indigenous land and further assaults treaty rights while potentially contaminating precious fresh water resources like the Ogallala Aquifer and ensuring the release of tons more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Somewhere along the way, proponents of this project have forgotten that humans need water to live, not oil. And while many (including the firm hired to complete Keystone XL’s environmental impact review) seem to believe the economic benefits of the pipeline far outweigh its ecological risk factors, this too is a myth. Are dangerous sand mining/pipe construction/oil refining jobs what compose the foundation of a sustainable and secure domestic energy economy? No – such operations simply capitalize on a finite but incredibly lucrative fuel. Further, the exceptionally crude quality of Alberta tar sands oil makes it so inefficient to process that it can only be sold profitably on an international market, creating only a slight difference or none at all to the countless American families struggling to pay for gas. All in all, it only takes a little critical thinking to understand that the Keystone XL pipeline does not make environmental or economic sense for those of us who do not control multi-million dollar, transnational energy companies.

Of course, one can agree with the ethical basis for an action without endorsing the action itself. More than half of those who marched with us from Georgetown to the White House chose to keep a safe distance from the zone where they were liable to be taken away in a paddy-wagon. I’ve heard several people ask why we chose civil disobedience as a tactic instead of other, supposedly more ‘safe’ alternatives. My answer is this: last spring, almost 50,000 people encircled the White House for the sole purpose of stopping the Keystone XL pipeline and a year later, no meaningful change in plans has occurred. Logically, there is a need for escalation, which in this case took the form of 372 student arrests. On a personal level, I am completely confident in my decision to be arrested because unlike many of those who directly face the pipeline’s dire effects, I can afford to do so. I am a financially sound student who attends an Ivy League university and has the privilege of paying a nominal collateral fee requested by the park police for my release with minimal consequences. Because of this, I should get arrested. Can a Cree mother whose children drink poisoned water from the Athabasca River in Alberta drop everything and head down to DC for her voice to be heard? Should a father struggling to support his family in the shadow of the Marathon tar sands refinery in Boynton, Michigan afford to risk losing his job for a protest? Defiance has a price, and those who can, must pay it. Our protest was one of solidarity with the victims of an extractive fossil fuel industry, not of cause-appropriation or [god forbid] restless angst.

Therefore, the impetus for this protest becomes clear, because:

1)Playing by the rules has yet to yield a meaningful result, which creates an opportunity for disobedience and defiance against a system that refuses to accommodate.

2)Those most impacted by the pipeline most severely are systemically less able to pay the price of defiance – so those that can must do so out of solidarity.

These are the reasons I chose to get arrested. I am proud of my actions and will accept any and all consequences associated with them. This struggle goes far beyond one afternoon on a fence or even one pipeline snaking across the plains – it is the tide beginning to turn against every system that oppresses and extracts. And I am committed to doing whatever it takes, including further disobedience, to turn that tide into an unstoppable wave.

Cole Norgaarden is the former Co-Chair of Youth Environmental Activists Minnesota (YEA! MN). A core program of the Will Steger Foundation, YEA! MN supports a network of high school environmental clubs working together across the Twin Cities Metro to empower student leadership on climate change solutions, facilitate shared skills and strategies, and take coordinated action at home, at school, and in the wider community.

The Will Steger Foundation policy on civil disobedience and direct action states that program staff and participants representing WSF may only take part in demonstrations that are peaceful and lawful.